Religious tourism and the new evangelization: theory and best practice in the pastoral promotion of the Church’s cultural heritage

Religious tourism can effectively serve the Catholic Church's mission of new evangelization, blending cultural heritage preservation with faith communication. The study presents two key strategies: framing religious tourism within an evangelizing context and reframing secular mass tourism through a Christian anthropological lens. Best practices from six international case studies—including the UNESCO-listed Baroque Churches of the Philippines—demonstrate how the Church leverages its artistic heritage to engage both pilgrims and tourists, fostering spiritual growth while addressing contemporary travel trends.

Tan, J. (2018). Religious tourism and the new evangelization: theory and best practice in the pastoral promotion of the Church’s cultural heritage. Church, Communication and Culture, 3(3), 283–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/23753234.2018.1547117